|
|
Like this article? PLEASE +1 it! |  |
|
Is Being a “Mind Reader” Part of Your Organization’s Job Descriptions?
| Guest post by: Skip Weisman |
Article Overview: Tired of second guessing and making incorrect assumptions in your organization and then being punished for it?
 |
Free Download - The “Science” of Workplace Communication & Performance Management By Skip Weisman |
Is Being a “Mind Reader” Part of Your Organization’s Job Descriptions?
The Law of Specificity States: "To the degree that you are not specific in your communication that is the level of guessing or mind-reading the receiver of your message needs to do."
If people in your organization feel like they have to continually guess what is expected of them, or 'mind-read' the individual who just left them directions for a delegated project, performance and results are going to suffer.
The sad fact is that most people are often not specific enough and don't even know it. Additionally, often the individual receiving the communication doesn't know they weren't given specific enough information until its too late.
A "lack of specificity" in organizational and leadership communication is a silent, subconscious killer. It operates below the surface like a cancer and people don't even realize it until trust has eroded in the environment.
As leaders, it is our responsibility to ensure that our communication is not just clear, but specific enough to the situation so that our directions are fulfilled and the meaning and purpose behind our communication is understood so it gains maximum buy-in and commitment.
A leader must understand and accept that he or she is responsible for their communication being understood, not the receiver.
Now, granted, there are at least two people responsible in a communicated message being effectively transferred. I believe it is inherent in leadership to take responsibility first and foremost for our communication. Thus, if leaders are not getting the results initially, they need to be extra careful to ensure the communication is specific enough.
In both business and personal situations a "lack of specificity" can kill relationships. It can cause disappointment, unmet expectations and a loss of trust, leading to the loss of the relationship, if not corrected.
In organizations, this is going on all the time. It's occurring between members of leadership teams, between leaders and their team members, and between team members themselves.
There are 3 reasons for this 'lack of specificity" that must be addressed:
A Blind Spot/Lack of Awareness - the person communicating with a lack of specificity is doing it out of habit and doesn't realize it, and/or its impact on others.
Enabling - this means that people realize a person or persons communicate this way and accept it, allowing it to perpetuate instead of calling the person's attention to it and asking for a change in style.
Maliciousness - the communicator has a hidden agenda and motives and is purposely withholding information to sabotage the other individual's efforts.
Whatever the reason, it must be dealt with in a timely, direct and respectful manner. If not, trust will erode in the workplace between leaders, leaders and their team members or between team members themselves, killing productivity and negatively impacting on performance results.
5 tips for clear and effective writing
Best Tips For Writing How To Articles
TAKE MY ‘WORD’ FOR IT
E-mail Tip #2 - E-mail is Not a Conversation
Rule #13: Tell Your Story with Sub-Headlines
Part 1: The Executive Summary
Sneaky Human Senses Copywriting Trick To Get More Sales
Writing Job Descriptions That Get The Results You Want
Get Your Readers To Take Action!
7 Hot Tips to Get Your Articles Read
Stimulate Your Readers
Rule 10 Indent Paragraphs
6 Red Hot Tips To Get Your Articles Read
Email Advertising Marketing That Gets You More New Clients
DO YOU KNOW WHAT STOPS YOUR RECIPIENTS FROM READING YOUR DIRECT OR ONLINE MATERIAL? HERE’S A HINT — IT COULD BE YOU.
How to Write An Article
Writing Sales Emails That Get You More New Clients.
Increase Your CTR: How to Write Enticing Page Titles and Meta Descriptions
Empathy
Thinking of buying or selling your business in the New Year, how is your Business Plan?
|
About the Author: Skip Weisman RSS for Skip's articles - Visit Skip's website Skip Weisman, The Leadership & Workplace Communication Expert, spent 20-years creating high-performing, high morale work environments for minor league baseball franchises in the United States between 1982-2001. (http://www.workplacecommunicationexpert.com) In fact, Skip was CEO for 5 different franchises, including one that he started from scratch and within 3 years had built into a $3 million business. On two other occasions, Skip transformed two financially struggling franchises into profitable businesses within the first year of taking over as CEO. Since 2001, Skip has been working with businesses and not-for-profit organizations of all sizes and all industries including regional banks, insurance agencies, building contractors, plumbers and CPA firms, creating motivating, high-performing work environments. Organizational leaders are going to want to read his latest white paper on workplace communication: The 7 Deadliest Sins of Leadership & Workplace Communication: How Leaders and Employees Unknowingly Undermine Morale, Motivation and Trust in Work Environments It is available as free download at www.HowToImproveLeadershipCommunication.com
Click here to visit Skip's website   Indirect Communication and How It Undermines Trust in Organizations Teamwork Never Fails Individuals Fail Teamwork Why Successful Organizational Leaders Burn Their Mission Statements Business Leaders Heres a Simple Communication Strategy to Improve Employee Performance World Class Customer Service Creating Delivering It To Differentiate Your Company |
Related Forum Posts
Accessing the Canadian Market
- Leo, an idea that came to mind is try to align yourself with Hispanic Organizations in Canada. This will build your credibility within communities and get more referrals.
Not sure if you plan on being based in Canada or operate your business from Columbia but either way being in the web development arena allows you to work from anywhere.
You can also search for opportunities originating from Canada thru elance.com, getafreelancer.com, freelance.com or rentacoder.com
Patent information
- I'm also interested in Part 2. Thanks.
Patent Process
- Interesting to hear your experiences with the patent process - what's Part 2?
Re: New McDonalds McCafe concept...
- When it comes to Japanese service and quality control, I tend to take it for granted... until I return to Britain!
Mind you, when it comes to cafes... You can't beat a good old British tea shop!
Name for website
- Hmmmm
Authors World
Authors Network
Authors World Wide Weblog
World Wide Authors Arboretum (or some other alliterative word)
WritertoWriter
Writer to Reader
WritersWorld
WritersConnect
AuthorsandtheirReadersBlog
Share this article with your friends. Fund someone's dream.
Leave a comment below or share on the left and you'll help support entrepreneurs in Africa through our partnership with Kiva. Over $50,000 raised and counting - Please keep sharing! Learn more.
by: 
Build Your List with Joint Venture Giveaway Events
May 2012 Top 100 Social Media Experts to Follow on Twitter
What to measure to be phenomenally successful in business
10 mistakes of media relations
Making Money Blogging Can Be Tons Of Fun 
Get advice & tips from famous business
owners, new articles by entrepreneur
experts, my latest website updates, &
special sneak peaks at what's to come!
Email us your ideas on how to make our
website more valuable! Thank you Sharon
from Toronto Salsa Lessons / Classes for
your suggestions to make the newsletter
look like the website and profile younger
entrepreneurs like Jennifer Lopez.